The judge for October 2024 is Stephen Busch

  Stephen has been an avid photographer since age 9 inspired by the photos in National Geographic and Life magazines in parallel with an interest in drawing, painting, ceramics, architecture, and the natural world. He studied photography with John Lodato at Laney College, concentrating on medium and large format monochrome images. He exhibited at the PhotoShow International and shows sponsored by Contra Costa Camera Club. He provided the cover and chapter photos for Hilda G. Berk book, Early Childhood Education, has photographed many weddings and portraits for over thirty-nine years.

 

The judge for November 2024 is Gloria Fraser

Gloria has been shooting photographs since her teens. What got her really serious about photography was the
purchase of a professional photographers camera gear, complete with a Macro lens. Her first photo class was with
Ernie Braun. Next level of learning came from Gloria photographing extensively in Southeastern Colorado but was
disappointed with the results. After the gift of photo course from her husband, her Colorado photos improved
markedly which led to a success in selling her enlargements and cards in Colorado, and bulk purchases of her cards
in San Francisco and Marin. She has done a number of one woman shows in Marin. A member of the Marin Photo
Club for about 10 years, Gloria has been at the Master’s level and won many prizes including Nature , Travel and
Creative pictures of the year and a blue ribbon for best color print at the Marin County Fair. A member of a small
group of photographers, “The Creative Group” Gloria enjoys stretching her creative vision.
PHILOSOPHY: Members submitting photos have put a good deal of time and energy into their submissions. As a
judge, I will share my insight into what is good about the photo and what can be improved. Although it is nice to win
prizes I believe we all want to learn from judging; my intention is to further that process.. Rules of composition are
important to know but also to know when and how to break them for a more unusual and creative photo.

 

The Judge for December 2024 is Joanne Stolte Hon FPSA, MPSA,EFIAP, ESFIAP

Joanne is a very senior member of the PSA having served on the PSA Board of Directors as Membership Vice President from 2005 to 2010 and as Information Systems Vice President from 2010 to 2011.  She loves photography and travel.  She is very active in supporting member clubs of PSA.  She received the PSA Early Achievement Award in 2003 and the Joseph P. Fallon, Jr. Memorial Award in 2004. In 2007 she was recognized for her photographic “Excellence” (EPSA) and was elected an Associate (APSA). She received the “Master” distinction (MPSA) in 2011 and was elected a Fellow (FPSA) in 2012. Joanne has earned two PSA Editorial Silver Stars and the Ruby PSA Membership Star Plaque. She is a member of Exploring Light, was President of the Southern California Council of Camera Clubs (S4C) from 2002 to 2009, and has been General Chair of the S4C International Exhibition since 2001. For her extensive service to S4C, she was awarded an Honorable S4C in 2008. Joanne received the Artiste distinction (AFIAP) in 2008 and the Excellence distinction (EFIAP) in 2013 from the Federation Internationale de L'art Photographique. She is a respected international judge, judging for example, the Welsh, the Great British Small Print Circuit, Fotoferia, PSA China, Polish, the Holland Circuit, Gia Dinh (Vietnam), and AC-FOTO German Mega Circuit.

 

The judge for February 2025 is Rick Cloran Hon FPSA, GMPSA, Hon NEC 

Rick is a well-known judge and lecturer having served in those
capacities extensively in New England as well as throughout the
US and Canada. He has been a member of the Greater Lynn
Photographic Association since 1975.
For his service to photography both in New England and at a
national level Rick has been awarded the Honor of HonFPSA by the
Photographic Society of America (PSA) and HonNEC by the New
England Camera Club Council (NECCC). His success in exhibitions
has earned him the GMPSA distinction.

Rick's thoughts on Qualities of an Effective Image

There are four key factors in an effective image:
Impact – Does the image get and hold the viewer’s attention (cause then to stop and
look / study the image)?
Story – Does the image have a story, real or perceived (imagined by the viewer) or
cause the viewer to have an emotional response? This is directly related to the viewer’s
level of interest in the image (i.e., Will they want to stay with that image for a longer
period of time?)
Technical Quality – The quality of the image from a nuts and bolts (technical)
perspective.
 Are the key story elements in focus and appropriately sharp?
 Is the depth of field appropriate for the subject / story being shown?
 Is the exposure / tonality of the key elements handled well?
o Have highlights been clipped or shadows blocked up?
o Are there areas of light, dark or colors that pull the viewer’s eye away from
the key story elements?

 Is the level of contrast sufficient for good impact but not over done while still
being appropriate for the subject matter / story?
 Does the color palette work well or are the color elements that are at odds with
the key elements in the image?
 Does the processing performed enhance the image or detract from it? (e.g., over
saturation, over sharpening, use of a vignette when not warranted, etc.)
Pictorial Quality – The quality of an image that is often associated with composition,
but which goes beyond that basic element. This governs how the viewer’s eye flows
through the image.
 Does the eye travel smoothly or are there “stumbling blocks of shape, luminosity
/ tonality, or color that interrupt / disrupt the eye’s journey through the elements
as it passes to the ultimate subject?
 Are the elements in the image all supportive of the story shown, or are there
extraneous or missing elements?
Technical and Pictorial Quality will have a significant influence on the image’s impact
and the willingness of a viewer to stay with the image (interest value).

 

The judge for March 2025 is Charles Ginsburgh

My name is Charlie Ginsburgh, and unlike many judges and club participants who have been taking images since dirt was first invented, I have only been actively involved in photography since 2011. I am a biochemist by trade, and as such have always been interested in nature, life and what makes living cells tick. One thing I enjoy is creating(design and manufacture) stained glass panels. I have done this off and on for over twenty years or so, and have given away much of my work to friends and family. In 2010 I sought to create a photographic catalog of my efforts, and proceeded to discover the joys and frustrations of photography. Fast forward to the present, and I am currently more involved in photography than in my stained glass endeavors.

When I look at many truly excellent examples of photography, I generally am familiar with how the image wascollected (technical aspects and the such) but am often struck with the thought that “I might not of seen that shot,were I there”. My journeys through photography have taught me the value of “seeing” what is in front of you, andhow difficult it can be to do so. This represents a continuing challenge in my own photography which I find immensely rewarding.

I am up to taking pictures of almost anything (and I do), but I have a special affinity for macrophotography. In that
discipline, I find that I focus (if you pardon the pun) upon “normal” life around me, showing a side of life which is
always there, but is rarely seen. I believe that this is but another manifestation of “seeing”. I can be in group of
master photographers at some truly mind-blowing scenic and/or iconic local, and darn if my eye isn’t caught by the
little weed buried in the dust next to my left foot. Oh well, to each their own. Examples of my photographic efforts can be viewed at my SmugMug site (https://charlie-g.smugmug.com).

When I first view an image I “look” for the emotional content of the image, and how I am affected by the image.
There is nothing more satisfying than when an image (yours or another’s) is first viewed by a group, and hearing an
immediate, collective spontaneous gasp from the audience, a sure sign that some level of emotional connection has
been achieved. I next look for how effectively the image was “seen” by the maker, and only then do I focus upon the
more technical aspects (composition, capture and presentation) employed to capture the maker’s vision of the image.
In the end, with each image I am striving to comprehend the maker’s vision of the image, and how effectively this
vision was captured.

 

The judge for May 2025 is Jan Lightfoot

Bio: My love of photography began in the fourth grade with my Brownie camera during a field trip to a
California Mission. Capturing pictures on film, taking it to the drugstore and two weeks later, picking up

twelve blurry black and white photos with ragged edges was thrilling. Now, retired after 18 years of self-
employment, photography continues to fascinate me and has naturally evolved into my passion. It has

helped to define who I am today. Although never formally trained, I have always been involved with
photography in one form or another. Transitioning from my own darkroom in high school, I joined the
Idaho Statesman newspaper photography staff, and worked in custom color printing labs both in Idaho
and California. Later I became a Certified Photographic Counselor through PMA and manager of
Wentling’s Camera in Walnut Creek, CA while raising my two daughters. In 2012, I had my first solo
gallery showing at Viewpoint Photographic Gallery in Sacramento, CA and have received numerous
awards through competitions and juried shows.
Currently, I am the Organizer for Exploring Photography, an online photography Meetup group with
nearly 900 members. I am also a member of the Sierra Camera Club and the Gold Rush Chapter of PSA. I
have also been a judge for the 2013 Gold Rush International Exhibition in Sacramento and will be
judging Nature at the San Joaquin International in March of 2015. Examples of my photographic
portfolios can be seen at www.janlightfoot.com

Philosophy: My own images tend to reflect a long association with classic and traditional
compositions, having adopted a ‘less is more’ vision. I try to incorporate this philosophy into practically
everything I shoot. Searching for the essence of the subject, or that ephemeral quality that is not always
obvious, is what I strive to capture; and in doing so, to create that connection with the viewer that
touches them emotionally.
Based on this philosophy, I have had occasions to provide critiques and/or mentoring for photographers, which I
usually do one-on-one. My philosophy has always been to provide the maker of an image with honest, positive
feedback. I stress the importance that a critical, yet constructive analysis can be a valuable tool to learn to see
creatively, build a portfolio, or acquire a better understanding of photography. My ultimate goal in judging is to
help other photographers find expression through their own style of photography.

 

The judge for June 2025 is Bruce Finocchio 

 

The judge for July 2025 is Lisa Rigge

Lisa believes that beginning photographers need more encouragement and less criticism from a judge.
Encouragement is given to inspire and motivate the love of photography in the neophyte. Critique focuses on the
details in the image itself, speaking to areas that are working well and to address areas that could be improved. The
balance of her judgement between beginners and advanced club members is to encourage the beginners without
being overly fussy, and to do a more in-depth critique of images in the advanced groups as their images are usually
already well-thought out and executed. Both can be fine lines to walk.
Lisa also believes that photographers view their photographs as a means of self-expression first, and any need to
impress others, especially the judge, be secondary. One must please oneself first in order to develop one’s personal
style. Once that’s developed, impress away!
BIOGRAPHY
In the late 1970’s, Lisa began taking photography courses at the MIT Photography Lab which had been founded by
Minor White, in Cambridge, MA. She studied at the lab for 2 years before moving to California. Once in CA, she
continued her studies at Chabot College in Hayward and at UC Extension Santa Cruz. In addition, she took week
long classes at Anderson Ranch Arts Center near Aspen, Colorado and through the Santa Fe Workshops in Santa Fe,
NM.
She attends an annual meeting of photographers who meet in King City or at a CA Mission to view the attendees’
portfolios. She’s attended this group, started by Al Weber (a renowned photographer and friend of Ansel Adams),
for almost 30 years.

Lisa began her teaching career by teaching Photography at Pleasanton Adult Ed in the 1980’s. She received her Full-
Time Clear Adult Ed Certification a few years later. Her teaching experience extends beyond photography to jail
education and to teaching English as a Second Language. Teaching is her passion.
Lisa is proud to have won 1st Place in the Texas Photographic Society in 2004. Her image, a solar plate etching
titled “Father Serra’s Last Room” came in first from over 1700 entries. In addition, this image and other photo
etchings were published in a 2005 edition of ZYZZYVA. Most recently, her portfolio “Sacred Pause” was chosen
for publication in LensWork: Seeing in Sixes 2019.